Dragon's Demand (Inactive)

Game Master R D

Feel free to move Wayreth forward. I'll point out that those who were cast spells with verbal components must do so in a "strong" voice...

OK. Moving things along... I've updated everyone's position on the map a little bit--with Wayreth scouting out front.

Wayreth Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Thing: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Wayreth notices some... thing... in the ceiling among the stalactites...

Wayreth may act in the surprise round because he made his perception check. Unfortunately, the enemy goes first!

Knowledge Religion AND/OR Knowledge Planes to know more about this creature.
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SUPRISE ROUND

Wayreth sees a crab-like nightmare with a lamprey mouth, twitching eyes on its legs, and several blisters along its back that hold human brains. It is the large sized red square on the map.

Free Action: It drops from the ceiling.
Standard Action: Bite: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26, Damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

The strange thing's mouth reaches out 10 feet and takes a big chunk out of the sylph.

Yes, I know Wayreth stealthed forward, but he essentially came down an open hallway with no cover. This thing heard the rest of the party buffing and simply watched the entrance to the cave. It has Darkvision.

Wayreth is up now. Then we're in normal initiative.

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Knowledge Planes: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

I appear to be last...go Wayreth!

When she can act, Hotspur will move up and take a shot if she can see the creature...

single barrel ranged touch: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
damage: 1d12 ⇒ 3

Anyone else having trouble staying logged into the paizo site?

It was down most of the day I was checking.

For future reference, just because I am stealth-ing does not mean I am going ahead alone to trigger every trap and ambush. I am stealthing whilst traveling with the group so I can get a sneak attack.

Surprise round, Wayreth withdraws back into the tunnel.

On his turn, he fires his crossbow at the thing.

attack roll: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
damage roll: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Looking at the horror attacking his friends Harlis calls upon Iomedae in prayer asking for healing, protection and guidance so that this evil looking fiend may be defeated.

Channel: 1d3 ⇒ 1 of healing. For next round everyone is also +1 AC and +1 to attack rolls on charge, the creature is out of range and remains unbuffed.

Status effects reminder:
Bless -18 rounds- +1 attack (morale), +1 saves versus fear(morale).
Shield of Faith - 19 rounds- +2 AC (deflection) on Ethendril.
Channel -1 round- +1 AC on everyone (sacred), +1 charge attacks (sacred)

For future reference, just because I am stealth-ing does not mean I am going ahead alone to trigger every trap and ambush. I am stealthing whilst traveling with the group so I can get a sneak attack.

The party cast buffs. It heard you. The first pc into the room was going to be attacked no matter what.

The point was more that I was intending to be in party formation, proceeding with the party, not going ahead solo.

For future reference, me going into stealth does not mean that I am going ahead on my own. Especially if it's into a place where stealth is not possible.

Wayreth: Text is a "funny" medium. But, I think I feel your frustration. If you'd like to discuss further, I'm more than happy to chat in the Discussion thread or via PM. :-) Both Agnes and Hotspur know me in real life; I'm not a bloodthirsty GM. I am sorry that your PC got bum rushed. But, as I read it, there was no avoiding this outcome given the party's prep. There's an undead thing here. It doesn't get tired. It obeys its last command unerringly. It was going to ambush the first party member that came into this part of the cave.

For my part, so that we can avoid issues like this going forward, I'll try to give more hints when moving stealth will be particularly challenging. Though I did post that those who were cast spells with verbal components must do so in a "strong" voice....

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Knowledge Planes: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

I'm guessing she knows a bit about this undead thing, so she'll do a quick

Man, that sucked.

Its the creatures turn, technically happening prior to Wayreths shot and Agne's disrupt?

Apologies for the slow posting. Having problems with the site.
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Surprise Round Roudup

The enemy drops from the ceiling and bites Wayreth.
Wayreth retreats.
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Round 1 Roudup

Hotspur shoots and deals 3 HP of damage.
Harlis releases a burst from his variant channel.
Now that the party has retreated into the tunnel, the creature appears to leap up.
(It flew back up to the ceiling. This is part of it's tactics/motivation.)
In the short amount of time that she saw it, Agnes recognized that this enemy is undead. Specifically, it is a zombie. Unfortunately, she has no idea what the base creature is! It's a zombie outsider of some kind...
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Sorted Initiative Order, Bold may act:
Hotspur
Harlis
Enemy
Wayreth
Agnes
Ethendril

The party is still getting +1/+1 from Hotspur's bard song. Just so the rest of you remember because I forgot to add in my own buff!

Agnes went, but will have a 16 v. AC for 2 points of damage.

"Come down and fight, beast!" Ethendril yells at it. Seeing it will not enter melee, he pulls a javelin from a clutch at his back and hurls it at it.

javelin, bard song: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 1 = 151d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6

You'll have to enter the cavern in D3 to get a shot at it while it's on the ceiling.

In that case, I'll move into the room and ready an attack against it if it comes down.

Greatsword Power Attack, Bard song: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 7 + 1 = 25 for damage: 2d6 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (3, 5) + 9 + 1 = 18

I presume that Wayreth and Agnes would like to move forward and take their previously rolled attacks?

Awaiting confirmation.

You want me to bother with a map? How archaic.

It looks like it's waiting to drop on the first creature to walk in, so I'll ready an action to shoot once it comes into view. I'm currently on 3hp so I'm not eager to tank.

OK. The creature drops from the ceiling. Several attacks happen, and it is seriously hurt!

But, it still gets to attack Ethendril:

Bite: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 28, Damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

The party is up, again! Finish it!

Ethendril grimaces and cries out as the creature's mandibles pierce his armor and torso. He touches his wounds with a hand to stop the bleeding, then attacks it again.

Greatsword Power Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 112d6 + 9 ⇒ (6, 2) + 9 = 17
lay on hands: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Ethendril's sword rips into the enemy. It's shredded badly, but still stands.

The rest of the party is up.

Anges will move up to the creature and use Shocking Grasp for 2d6 ⇒ (6, 4) = 10 points of electricity damage.

Reload and fire the crossbow.

attack roll: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
damage roll: 1d8 ⇒ 2

It's dead (again). Combat over!

Looking down Harlis sighs. "I wonder if fate was the hero who freed the town of the evil of this wizard or one of the dire creatures that he allied with and there is another foe behind all of this." He then calls upon Iomedae again to cure the wounded.

Channel healing: 1d3 ⇒ 3
Wand of Cure Light on Wayreth: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Wand of Cure Light on Ethenril: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Wand of Cure Light on Ethenril again: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Wand of Cure Light on Wayreth again: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

"Thank you Harlis. That's the last time I walk ahead without thinking about what I am doing. Hopefully that was the only thing in that cave seeking to eat us."

"If you'd like, Wayreth, I can take point for a bit. I'm no good with traps but I can sneak a bit."

Hotspur has stealth too, though not at Wayreth's level. But I'm okay with scout-duty for a bit if it helps the party.

"Truth be told I'm not much good with traps either. And if our heavily armored allies are going to be clanking around, then it seems that attempts at stealth would be impossible and pointless. In that event, simply going as a group would be best, with the most heavily armored in front."

GM has ruled that stealth is not possible in some areas, making scouting irrelevant. If stealth becomes possible, I'm happy to scout.

Gotcha. But if no one objects I'll equip my bayonet and stand in the front anyway.

"Thank you for the healing, Harlis," Ethendril says as recuperate from the battle.

The paladin stands and moves further into the cavern, looking for what that creature had been guarding.

perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Re scouting and positioning, I think it's best Ethendril goes first because I can handle a hit. That said, there's no reason we can't have a standard operating procedure to have someone stealth ahead, check it out, and report back if the stealthy guys feel they aren't getting a chance to use their skills. Of course, that is kind of what happened when Wayreth got hit coming into this room, but maybe if the rest of us are farther back it won't give him away.

Re scouting and positioning, I think it's best Ethendril goes first because I can handle a hit. That said, there's no reason we can't have a standard operating procedure to have someone stealth ahead, check it out, and report back if the stealthy guys feel they aren't getting a chance to use their skills. Of course, that is kind of what happened when Wayreth got hit coming into this room, but maybe if the rest of us are farther back it won't give him away.

I'll go with whatever we think will work best for the party. If we want to use Ethendril to spring encounters, that works for me too.

I reckon we just play it by ear. It looks like stealth is impossible here, so let's go with highest AC in front for this cave, then see what comes next.

Harlis nods a simple welcome to thanks given by the rest of the group as everyone volunteers to head up the marching order. He pauses for moment to utter a small prayer of detect magic and follows behind on Daylight looking around for further signs of ambush or traps.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Four locked iron chests rest on the eastern side of this cavern. Of these four, three are relatively small chests that have arcane lock cast on them. They can be opened with the keys from area C10. Within these chests is a total of 11,300 cp, 7,200 sp, 1,800 gp, and 60 pp, all in small cloth pouches of 100 coins each. These coins are sent on to Hunclay's cousin once reported to the baroness.

The fourth chest is twice the size of the others and is of very fine manufacture. The chest is locked and has arcane lock cast on it. The brass key found on Hunclay’s body in area A14 opens the chest.

Inside is an exquisite darkwood case are four packets of enhanced dust of darkness (this dust functions as detailed in Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Equipment, except that a dose is also capable of extinguishing the wall of light in area C17). The darkwood case is worth 250 gp, and contains five books. Four of these are rare antique tomes on astronomy written in Ancient Osiriani; each is worth 1,000 gp. The fifth tome is a tattered volume called Secrets of the Dreaming Dark.

Secrets of the Dreaming Dark is a very old and massive tome, several hundred pages long and bound in black leather. It claims to be a translation of a much older book, but the book’s original author is unknown. The pages are scribed in Aklo in cramped handwriting, and include complex star charts and maps of strange, distant worlds. There are numerous breathtaking illustrations of eerie monsters and alien gods as well. Unfortunately, pages or even entire chunks of the ancient text are loose or missing here and there throughout. Successfully reading and understanding the book requires the ability to read Aklo, as well as years of intense study. Though, you can get a sense of the book with a linguistics check AND 48 hours of study.

You have now successfully completed the "Hunclay Contract." Please level up!

Level 3 now?

Yup!

Yay! We're back up to where we were before we started now! I'll level up! :)

Hurray!

The party inventoried Hunclay's estate. Belhaim puts his estate up for auction. You, if you wish, have the opportunity to bid on items in the auction.

The auction is scheduled to take place in the afternoon on Oathday at the open-air amphitheater known as the Belhaim Commons. Despite the large number of invitations sent out by the baroness, only a handful of prospective buyers arrive in town the day of the auction—the remoteness of Belhaim and Hunclay's limited fame in arcanist circles makes the auction less of a draw than hoped.

The following parties represent wealthy, out-of-town interests:
- a trio of white-clad Kalistocrats from Kerse
- two black-robed individuals of indeterminate gender representing the Mercantile Consortium of Maheto
- a snarling half-orc named Mr. Pickets representing Duchess Selphine Telegonus of Cassomir
- and a brown-haired man in a red felt hat with a large blue feather stuck in its side, who calls himself Clausyre and represents an unnamed interest from the north

The auction is open to the public, and many of Belhaim's citizens attend out of curiosity, even though few have the means to compete for the big-ticket items. The party is given a place of honor with front-row seats!

Serious bidders, including locals such as the Adras family, Sir Pelle Benhovy, Arnholde Devy, the Belhaim historian Bassy, and Swerlo Grayhands (who wants the stuffed grizzly), are seated within the first two tiers closest to the stage. Spectators fill whatever other seats are available. The baroness is present and seated next to her son Arnholde.

As a token of her gratitude the baroness has offered to pay half the cost of anything the party bids on (and wins) in the upcoming auction, to a maximum amount of 7,500 gp from her coffers.

All bids must be made in multiples of the listed opening bid. The PC attempts a single Bluff or Intimidate check against other interest bidders (NPCs only).

Here is a list of the auction lots for which you may bid. Please indicate your interest by indicating the lot number and the max gp you're willing to pay.

Here is a map of the amphitheater where the auction is set to take place.

Not much of interest on the list for a paladin, but spellcasters may find some good stuff!

Ethendril settles in to watch the auction. Though not interested in anything the wizard owned, he had attended several auctions in the past and found them interesting.

I bought myself some MW full plate from the funds we just received and some we had left over from last time.

The paladin is pretty sure that the auction is going to have elements of interpersonal drama as bidders try to wrangle around each other.

The townsfolk settle in with their popcorn. Some of them start warming up their chants of "Jer-ry! Jer-ry! Jer-ry!"

Agnes sighs wistfully at the items up for auction. If only I had more money.

I mainly need levels on Wayreth. Once he hits level 4 he gets a good boost. Nothing else to spend my money on, so I might as well try this out...

"I might find some of those scrolls and potions useful," Wayreth mutters half to himself. "I'll bid on those two lots and see if I can get anything useful out of them. Didn't we also need that dust to free whatever creature was still trapped in the manor?"

Will bid up to three times the opening bid on lots 10, 11 and 19. Of course if I don't need to go that high I won't. Using bluff checks.

Bids on Lot 10:
first bid, 650gp: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
second bid, 1300gp: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
first bid, 1950gp: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Bids on Lot 11:
first bid, 255gp: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
second bid, 510gp: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
first bid, 765gp: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Bids on Lot 19:
first bid, 600gp: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
second bid, 1200gp: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
first bid, 1800gp: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Harlis nods at Wayreth's comment. "Yes, we should attempt to acquire the dust to free that last prisoner from Hunclay's dungeons. I will put in a share to help cover that cost without issue."

Ethendril nods at Harlis. "Indeed...we should free her. I agree."